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Book^JiiiHl 



Haverhill town Affairs 



One 

Hundred 
Years 

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The following pages are made up largely from the records of 
the Haverhill town clerk for the year 1809, with the exception of 
certain resolutions passed at a special town meeting in the sum- 
mer of 1812, which are given as a sort of supplement to the some- 
what elaborate resolutions passed at the annual town meeting 
three years earlier. Those were strenuous times one hundred 
years ago, and " the little republics " of that day felt it their duty 
to give voice and opinion, not only on matters local, but also state 
and national. The brief records of the town meetings of that time 
give more than a glimpse at the social and political conditions 
then prevailing Taxation then, as now, was a burning question, 
and the fathers had methods of their own of distributing its bur- 
dens. It is not certain that their descendants have improved on 
those methods. The inventory appended to the account of the town 
meeting merits careful study for its painstaking detail, a detail 
which might with jjrofit be followed in these latter years. 

William F. Whitcher. 



One hundred years ago Haverhill had arrived at the dis- 
tinction, which it maintained for many years thereafter, of 
being — with the possible exception of Hanover — the chief 
town in Grafton County in influence, both social and politi- 
cal. It was the center for county affairs, Plymouth being 
but a minor half shire town, and among its citizens were a 
larger number proportionally of professionally trained men 
and of large influence in the affairs of the State than in any 
other town in Northern New Hampshire. The more im- 
portant courts of the county were held at the Haverhill court 
house. The Academy was a flourishing educational institu- 
tion, and the town was divided into two parishes, each with 
its meeting house, one at Ladd Street and the other at Horse 
Meadow, and the custom of raising at least a part of the 
salary of its ministers had not been abandoned. No town 
house or town hall had as yet been constructed, and the 
town meetings, which were great occasions, were held alter- 
nately at the two meeting houses. 

The annual meeting of 1809 was held March 14 in the 
north parish meeting house, located at the southerly end of 
Horse Meadow street, in what is now the westerly part of 
the Horse Meadow cemetery, and which, after it was aban- 
doned as a place of worship, was owned and used as a barn 
by the late Lafayette Morse, until it was torn down some 
forty or more years ago. Party feeling was as strong if not 
indeed stronger a century ago than now, and the Federalists 
outnumbered their Democratic opponents about three to one. 
At the previous November election the Federalist candidates 
for presidential electors received 135 votes and the Demo- 
cratic candidates 59. At the March election the Federalist 



preponderance was still stronger, that staunch old Federalist, 
Jeremiah Smith, receiving 123 votes for governor, to 47 for 
John Langdon, his Democratic rival. 

The town officers chosen at this meeting indicate that 
William L. Marcy of New York did not originate the doc- 
trine that "to the victors belong the spoils," since none but 
orthodox Federalists were given the offices of importance. 
The voters of Haverhill then made their own choice of offi- 
cers, too, and did not leave it, as in these degenerate latter 
days, for the selectmen to appoint. The officers chosen 
were : ^ 

Moderator, Stephen P. Webster. 

Town Clerk, Ephraim Kingsbury. 

Selectmen, John Kimball, Michael Johnston, Richard 
Gookins. 

1 Tliese town officers were the leading citizens. Stephen P. 
Webster, moderator and representative to the General Court, was 
a graduate of Harvard college, who came to Haverhill to be- 
come preceptor of the Academy in 1800 or 1801. He became clerk 
of the courts for Grafton County in 1805 and held this position for 
thirty years. A man of culture, of unimpeachable character, of 
charming manners, he was naturally a leader among the Federal- 
ists of his time. It was his hand, doubtless, which penned the 
Embargo resolutions adopted by the town in 1809. Aside from his 
office of clerk of court, he was for a dozen years moderator, select- 
man, six times representative to the General Court, and member 
of the Governor's Council in 1829. Ephraim Kingsbury, town 
clerk, was also at one time preceptor of the Academy, was a gradu- 
ate of Dartmouth, class of 1797, read law and was admitted to prac- 
tice, but does not seem to have engaged in active practice while a 
resident of Haverhill. He removed from town in 1834 and died in 
New York in 1855. He was for several years register of deeds for 
Grafton County, and his records as register, as well as those in the 
town clerk's books, are models of neatness and penmanship. John 
Kimball, eldest son of Amos, selectman and treasurer, one of the 



Representative to the General Court, Stephen P.Webster. 

Treasurer, John Kimball. 

Collector of Taxes, Capt. Stephen Morse, who was to 
have 3 per cent, of the total tax for collection. 

Constables, Stephen Morse, Jacob Williams. 

Surveyors of Highways, John Nelson, John Montgom- 
ery, Moody Ladd, David Merrill, Jacob Bayley, John 
Carr, John Jeflfers, Asa Ladd. 

Fence Viewers, Nathaniel Merrill, Michael Johnston. 

Hog Reeves, John Nelson, Noah Davis, John Pike, 

early settlers of the town, was prominent in town affairs, was a 
deacon in the North Parish church, colonel in the state militia 
represented the town in the General Court several times, and was 
a member of the board of selectmen for sixteen years. One of his 
sons, John, Jr., was a graduate of Dartmouth, a lawyer prominent 
in Vermont courts and in public life for many years. Another son 
of John was Dudley C, who was active in town affairs during the 
war of the rebellion, but after the sale of his farm at Horse 
Meadow to the County of Grafton, removed to Newbury, Vt., pur- 
chasing the Oxbow farm, now owned by his grandson, F. E. Kim- 
ball. None of the descendants of John Kimball now reside in 
town. Michael Johnston, eldest son of Col. Charles Johnston, 
lived on the homestead of his father at Haverhill Corner and was 
for many years active in town affairs. None of the family are now 
residents of Haverhill, and the homestead is now owned by Jesse 
R. Squires. Eichard Gookin, born in Boston in 1769, came to Hav- 
erhill in 1799. He first introduced wool carding machines into the 
United States, and obtained several patents for improvements on 
these machines. In connection with his brother Samuel, he man- 
ufactured the first of these machines in the United States, and re- 
moved the business of manufacturing from Boston to Haverhill in 
1799, the machines being sold in all parts of the United States and 
Canada. With Obadiah Swasey he was owner of the famous "Fisher 
farm." Capt. Stephen Morse, tax collector, constable and tything- 
man, born in 1757, came from Massachusetts near the close of the Rev- 
olutionary War. He was tax collector for many years, a model one, 
and because of his persistence in gathering In the last dollar of the 



8 

John Lawrence, Joseph Morse, John S. Sanborn, Adams 
True, Timothy B. Bayley. 

Surveyors of Lumber, Timothy B. Bayley, Richard 
Gookins, John True. 

Tythingman, Capt. Stephen Morse. 

Sealer of Weights and Measures, Samuel Brooks. 

Sealer of Leather, Richard Gookins. 

The sum of $300 was voted to be raised for town expen- 
ses ; $300 for schools ; $200 " to hire preaching" and $800 
for highways and bridges, two-thirds to be paid in labor at 
8c. per hour and one-third in money to be expended at the 
discretion ot the selectmen. 

The voters of Haverhill, however, did not consider their 
work accomplished with the transaction of the regular rou- 

taxes was known as "Pinclier Morse." Tlie surveyors of highways, 
fence viewers and hog reeves were also for the most part leading 
citizens. One hundred years ago these were regarded as impor- 
tant offices. John^Nelson was a lawyer, a graduate of Dartmouth 
in the same class with Daniel Webster, but did not deem it be- 
neath his dignity to serve as highway surveyor and hog reeve. He 
was a lawyer of marked ability and ranked high at the Grafton 
County bar. John Montgomery, born in 1764, of Scotch ancestry, 
came to Haverhill from Andover, Mass., about 1793. He was one 
of the pioneer merchants at the Brook, and his house is still 
standing, the residence of J. LeRoy Bell. He was moderator as 
early as 1796, and in 1809 his name heads the list of taxpayers, his 
tax being $100.20. He represented Haverhill in the legislature, 
and during the war of 1812 was Brigadier General of the New 
Hampshire militia stationed at Portsmouth for the defence of the 
harbor. One of his granddaughters was the mother of Governor 
Frank W. Rollins. Moody Ladd was a son of Judge Ezekiel Ladd 
of Ladd Street, as was also Asa Ladd. David Merrill came to Ha- 
verhill in 1804 and settled on a tract of land north of Pool Brook, 
which was afterwards the town farm. One of his sons was the late 
Schuyler Merrill and the late Chester M. Carleton was one of his 



9 

tine business of a March town meeting. The 14tli Article 
of the Warrant read : 

"To express by vote or resolutions the opinion of the 
town upon the alarming condition of public affairs." 

The Jefferson Administration had just closed. The 
famous Embargo Act had been in force, and its effects upon 
New England industries and commerce were being realized 
to their fullest extent. The new ]Madison Administration 
was not popular. 

John Nelson, George Woodward and Nathaniel Merrill 
were appointed a committee to take into consideration this 
14th article, and before the meeting dissolved reported reso- 
lutions, evidently carefully prepared beforehand, which were 
adopted, and the selectmen were ordered to get them printed 
in the Coos Courier. 

The resolutions were : 

^^ Resolved^ As the sense of this meeting that the present 
situation of our country, both in its internal and external re- 
grandsons. John Carr came to Haverhill from Newburyport, Mass., 
prior te 1800. Joshua Carr, "the poet of Brier Hill," was one of 
his sons, and the late John E. Carr was a grandson. John Jeffers 
was one of three brothers who had just settled in the eastern part of 
the town near Coventry line, in a section which came to be known 
as the Jeffers Neighborhood. Major Nathaniel Merrill, born Ha- 
verhill, Mass., 1754, was one of the early settlers, and took up his 
land on the plain to the north of North Haverhill village, the farm 
now owned by Wilbur F. Eastman. He was a man of large influ- 
ence, public spirited, held at various times all the official positions 
within the gift of his fellow citizens, and did not, in 1809, deem it 
beneath his dignity to accept the office of fence viewer. He mar- 
ried Sarah Hazen, daughter of John Hazen, one of the proprietors. 
They had twelve children, one son who died in early life and 
eleven daughters. Of the latter, Sally married Aaron Hibbard of 
Bath, Elizabeth married Moses Swasey, Charlotte married Isaac 
Pearson, Polly married Nathaniel Runnells, Nancy married Oba- 



10 

lations, is truly interesting and alarming, and furnishes an 
extraordinary occasion for the expression of public opinion. 

Resolved, That we hold it an essential and established 
right, secured both by our National and State Constitutions, 
and on great and Extraordinary Conjunctures, the solemn 
duty of the people peaceably to assemble and express their 
sentiments and consult together for the common good. 
While the citizens now assembled claim this right and vin- 
dicate this truth, they disclaim the principle of resistance to 
any conslitutioncd law of their country. They claim merely 
the right to express their solemn and dispassionate opinion 
of the measures of their rulers, and to bring their complaints 
before them, believing that, elevated to power for the benefit 
of the people, and accountable to them for the correctness 
of their conduct in office, they will be inclined to I'espect the 
opinions and listen to the complaints of their constituents. 

diah Swasey, Lucinda married Abner Bailey of Newbury, Ruth 
married James Morse, and lier twin sister Hannah married John 
Page, Jr. Major Merrill moved to Piermout in 1816 and died there 
in 1825. Noah Davis, hog reeve, born in Connecticut about 1787, 
came to Haverhill from Hanover, and engaged in selling drugs 
and medicines and dry goods until 1825, when he removed to Al- 
bion, N. Y. He built the house later owned by the late George W. 
Chapman. His eldest sou, Noah, born in Haverhill, 1818, became 
known as one of the leading jurists of the country, and was one of 
the judges at the trial of William M. Tweed, the famous Tammany 
boss aud leader. Samuel Brooks came to Haverhill from Worces- 
ter, Mass., about the close of the Revolutionary War, and opened 
a store at the Corner, and was the owner of an oil mill at the 
Brook. He was active in town affairs, was town clerk, selectman, 
represented the town in the legislature, and was for several years 
register of deeds for Grafton County. Haverhill certainly had in 
1809 an able set of town ofiBcers. In point of ability and influence 
the comparison with any one of the hundred years since is a 
favorable one. 



11 

Resolved, That we, the citizens now assembled, cherish 
national independence as the first and greatest of national 
blessings ; that we cherish the principles of the American 
Revolution which established that independence ; that we 
revere and cherish the Constitution of this State and of the 
United States whereby our Independence, our Rights and 
our Liberties were guaranteed ; that among the great and 
leading objects of the Revolution and of these Constitutions 
were the rights of Commerce under the protection of Gov- 
ernment, and the security of persons and property under the 
protection of the Civil Courts and the laws of the land. 

Resolved, That we have viewed with deep regret and 
concern the total destruction of our foreign, and the increas- 
ing embarrassments imposed upon our domestic commerce 
by certain laws of the United States called the Embargo 
laws ; nor are our anxiety and concern in any way dimin- 
ished by the extraordinary measures in which the same laws 
have been enforced. Indeed, the late law enforcing the 
Embargo has called forth our astonishment and surprise. 
We have been anxious for the safety of our Public Rights 
and Liberties. We have feared that the Constitution of 
our Country has been violated. For, considering the prom- 
inent features and provisions of the said laws, we have not 
been able consistently to reconcile them with that charter of 
our public rights and privileges which declares among our 
inherent and essential rights, that of "acquiring property 
and possessing property and, in a word, of seeking and ob- 
taining happiness" — which says that "in all controversies 
concerning property the parties have a right to a trial by a 
jury, and this method of procedure shall be held sacred,'' 
that "every subject hath a right to be secure from all un- 
reasonable searches and seizures of his person, his houses, 



12 

his papers and all his possessions," and that every subject 
of this state is entitled to a certain remedy by having recur- 
rence to the laws, for all injuries he may receive in his per- 
son, his property or his character; to obtain right and jus- 
tice freely without being obliged to purchase it, completely 
and without any denial, promptly and without delay, con- 
formably to the laws. 

Resolved, That we are ready to expose ourselves to any 
hazard and to meet any sacrifices of life or fortune to pre- 
serve the peace, safety, honor and liberties of our Country 
whenever they shall be in danger. 

Resolved, That in the opinion of the citizens now assem- 
bled the Embargo Policy adopted and persevered in by 
the late Administration has not consulted the dignity nor 
interest of the Nation, nor have the immense sacrifices and 
losses thereby imposed upon the people been called for by 
the safety, honor or independence of the United States. 

Resolved, That we do not consider the late act entitled 
"An Act to interdict the Commercial intercourse between 
the United States and Great Britain and France and their 
dependencies and for other purposes," calculated to effectu- 
ally relieve us from the sufferings produced by the Em- 
bargo ; that in our opinion it is designed only as a partial 
retreat from the unwarrantable policy which has of late 
been pursued, and solely calculated to lull that laudable 
spirit which in New England is so easily raised to a flame 
and which can never be totally extinguished. 

Resolved, That it is the duty of every good citizen to 
endeavor by every constitutional and honorable means, to 
procure an immediate abandonment of the said policy, and 
a return to that honorable and dignified conduct which, in 
the year 1798, enabled the government, at that time sue- 



13 

cessfully to resist and gloriously to surmount difficulties and 
dangers more alarming than any which at present threaten 
us." 

Whatever the voters of Haverhill hoped to accomplish by 
these resolutions, it seems they did not lead to such a change 
of policy on the part of the Federal government as to pre- 
vent the declaration of war with Great Britain in 1812, nor 
did they prevent the growth of the Democratic party at the 
expense of the Federalists. But the Haverhill Federalists 
freed their minds and this was something. Perhaps James 
Madison subsequently did not receive the Coos Courier. 
In 1810 the vote for Governor was 120 for Jeremiah 
Smith and 77 for John Langdon. In 1811, 106 for 
Smith and 65 for Langdon, and at the March meeting 
of 1812 the vote for Governor was close, John Taylor 
Gilman, the Federalist candidate, receiving 95, while 
William Plumer, the Democratic candidate, received 90. 
War with England was recognized as inevitable, and 
Haverhill fairly represented in this March vote for Gov- 
ernor the spirit which prevailed in New Hampshire. There 
was no choice of Governor by the people, but a small 
Democratic majority in the legislature gave the election to 
Plumer. 

The actual declaration of war came June 18th, and 
Haverhill was near enough to the Canada line to have fears 
for her own safety. At least some of her citizens had such 
fears. A petition was presented to the selectmen to call a 
special town meeting. The reason assigned for the petition 
was the following: "We, the subscribers, inhabitants of 
Haverhill, taking under due consideration at this critical time 
the necessity of protecting the frontiers against foreign in- 
vasion, and against encroachment of savages, and the hard 



14 

task which falls upon those who are dratted to perform that 
service, are of opinion that they ought to have additional 
compensation from that allowed them by the General Gov- 
ernment as an encouragement for the more faithful dis- 
charge of their duty." Among the signers of this petition 
were Jonathan Hale, Stephen Wood ward, Stephen Morse, Jr., 
Caleb Morse, Obadiah Swasey, Amos Kimball, Ezra Bart- 
lett, John Page, John Osgood, Timothy A. Edson, John 
Page, Jr., Moses Dow, Jonathan Sinclair, Joseph Morse, 
Stephen Morse, 2d, and Timothy B. Bailey. 

A meeting was called by the selectmen for August 31, 
1812, and at this meeting the town refused to vote the addi- 
tional compensation asked for. A motion to dissolve the 
meeting was negatived, and after considerable debate of an 
animated and acrimonious nature as to the legality of sub- 
sequent action, and after many voters, including nearly all the 
Democratic supporters of the Administration, had withdrawn 
from the meeting, the following votes and resolutions were 
passed : 

Voted to choose a committee to report by resolution or 
otherwise on the present situation of our national affaire. 

Voted that Ezekiel Ladd, David Webster, John Nelson, 
John Montgomery, John Kimball and Ezekiel Ladd, Jr., 
be committee. 

The following resolutions were reported to the meeting 
and adopted : 

"That Government is instituted for the common benefit, 
protection and security of the whole community and not for 
the private emolument of any one man, family or class of 
men. When, therefore, the administration of such a gov- 
ernment is so conducted that the common benefit of the 
whole community is neither the end proposed, nor the ob- 
ject attained, when the speculative opinions of visionary 
theorists have for a long time predominated in the councils 



15 

of the nation, by the influence of which a system of com- 
mercial restrictions has been adopted in direct opposition to 
the rules of practical wisdom and the dictates of universal 
experience — when a system of notorious antipathy to one of 
the great Belligerents of Europe and partiality if not sub- 
serviency to the other, has at length precipitated the nation 
unprepared into all the horrors and calamities of war, pre- 
mature, unnecessary, and impolitic, with an extensive 
range of sea coast comparatively defenseless and an im- 
mense amount of commercial capital exposed to inevitable 
capture and destruction, and when, amidst such a com- 
plication of errors and distress, the interest of a particular 
man and the instruments of a particular class of men en- 
gross the cares and attention of the Administration of our 
Government to the exclusion or neglect of the great concern 
of the Union, under such circumstances it is not only the 
right, but it is the imperious and indispensable duty of the 
people in an orderly and peaceable manner to assemble to 
consult upon the public good, and with firm, united and 
strenuous exertions to endeavor to restore wisdom to our 
councils and peace to our country. 

"Such a spirit of inquiry and investigation into the spirit 
and conduct of the rulers is the distinguishing characteristic 
of freemen, and the right of examination into the object, 
policy and operation of these measures, a primary and 
essential principle of every free government. It is to this 
spirit that Americans are indebted for their Liberty, their 
Independence, and all their privileges as a Nation ; it is to 
the firm, temperate and deliberate exercise of this right that 
they must look for the preservation, support and continu- 
ance of them. 
"These principles, so dear to the patriots of the Revolution, 



16 

at all times so important and in all countries so interesting 
to the friend of rational freedom, are in these times of un- 
precedented calamity, peril and distress rendered particu- 
larly dear, important and interesting to the advocates of 
liberty and the friends of peace, of commerce and philan- 
thropy throughout our once flourishing and happy republic. 
"Ist. Therefore, Resolved, That while we fully recognize 
and explicitly acknowledge as the fundamental principle of 
our Constitution "that a majority must rule," and while we 
as fully and explicitly denounce and discourage all forcible 
and unwarrantable opposition to constitutional laws and 
the constituted authorities of the Country, we cannot but 
remember that, although in a minority, Freemen still have 
rights in the Country, and that the Liberty of Speech and of 
the Press, publicity of debate and freedom of elections are 
essential to the existence of Republican government. 

"2d. Resolved, That in a country where the theory of 
the Government is that all power resides originally in, and is 
derived from the people, when all the magistrates and officers 
of government are but their substitutes and agents, and at all 
times accountable to them, it is essential to the preservation 
of the rights of the people and to a just, proper and impar- 
tial exei'cise of their electoral privileges, that all the chan- 
nels of information respecting public men and public meas- 
ures should be open to all. 

"3d. Resolved, Therefore, That we cannot but view with 
anxiety, apprehension and alarm the late proceedings in 
Cono-ress by which a system of measures has been deliber- 
ately matured and avowedly adopted to check the freedom 
and prevent the publicity of debate at the whim or caprice 
of a heated majority, and thus to conceal from the people the 
unfaithfulness of public men, and prevent the detection and 
exposure of the impolicy and inexpediency of public measures. 



17 

*'4th. Resolved, That we revere the principles and honor 
of the patriots of the Revolution, who in their example and 
conduct have spread a lustre over this country which we 
hope will never be tarnished by their descendants. The war 
which they waged was necessary and just ; it was in self- 
defense ; its objects were great ; they were the safety, lib- 
erty and independence of this country : They were attain- 
able. In such a war we would be foremost in tendering 
our fortunes and our lives. But until such an occasion 
shall again call us to arms, we cannot but believe that the 
interests and honor of the United States will require us to 
cherish the relations of Peace. We cannot discover in the 
present war that necessity, that justice and those great and 
attainable objects which sanctified the former ; drawn into 
it, however, by the constituted authorities of our country, we 
will, as good citizens, submit to the laws and make all the 
sacrifices which they require. But at the same time we are 
firmly resolved to exercise our inalienable rights of scruti- 
nizing the measures of our rulers, to bring them to the test 
of the maxims of wisdom and sound policy, and to use 
every legal and constitutional means of placing in the sev- 
eral departments of government men whose views shall be 
more conformable to the honor and interest of our country, 
and whose policy and wishes shall be more friendly to the 
establishment of peace. 

"5th. Resolved, That while we are necessitated wholly to 
disapprobate the policy of our national administration as in- 
volving the sacrifice of our dearest rights and tending to a 
dissolution of our national compact, we declare our firm 
attachment to the Constitution of the United States, and our 
determination to preserve it inviolate and to support the 
Union at every hazard. 



18 

"6th. Mesolved, That a frequent recurrence to the fun- 
damental principles of the Constitution of the United States, 
and a constant adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, 
industry and frugality, and all the social virtues are indis- 
pensably necessary to preserve the blessings of liberty and 
good government ; the people ought, therefore, to have a par- 
ticular regard to all those principles in the choice of their 
officers and representatives. 

"7th. Resolved, Therefore, That for the promotion of 
the above described objects, and for the maintenance of our 
rights and privileges, and for the advancement of the gen- 
eral vyelfare, we will unite with any other town or towns in 
this county by delegates to a county convention. 

"8th. Resolved, Therefore, That it is expedient to ap- 
point and we do hereby appoint Joseph Bell, John Smith 
and George Woodward to represent this town in a county 
convention for the county of Grafton, to meet at Orford on 
the 1st Tuesday of October next, to consult on and carry 
into effect the foregoing object. ^ 

2 The convention at Orford was attended by delegates from the 
river towns of Grafton County, and a delegate was chosen to attend 
a convention of delegates from the New England States for the 
purpose of considering the state of the country and taking such 
action as might he deemed expedient under the circumstances. 
The Convention did not meet, however, till December 16, 1814. 
This was the famous Hartford Convention, the twenty-six mem- 
bers of which, respectable gentlemen though they were, were con- 
demded to political infamy. Massachusetts, Ehode Island and 
Connecticut sent twenty-three of these delegates with state sanc- 
tion. New Hampshire and Vermont, however, hesitated and the 
New Hampshire delegates, one each from Sullivan and Grafton 
Counties, the latter elected at the Orford meeting and the Ver- 
mont delegate from Windsor County, had only the authority de- 
rived from their respective counties. 



19 

*'9th. Resolved, That the Town Clerk be directed to re- 
cord in the Town Book the above resolves." 

The population of Haverhill in 1809 was approximately 
1100. The census of 1810 gave a return of 1105. The 
selectmen in 180S assessed 219 polls and there were nine 
voters past 70 years of age who paid no poll taxes. These 
were Bryan Kay, Nathaniel Runnells, Amos Howard, Sam- 
uel Gould, Stephen Morse, 2d, Samuel Danforth, John 
Sevey, William Mitchell and Joseph Lee. The poll tax 
was $1.30 and the rate of taxation was 50 cents on each 
hundred dollars valuation, except on bank stock, on which 
it was 75 cents, and on money at interest, which called for 
a rate of $1.00. The fathers believed evidently that evi- 
dences of wealth like bank stock and money at interest 
should not escape taxation. It is interesting to know who 
the taxpayers and voters in Haverhill were 100 years ago, 
and a glance at the character of the property on which they 
paid taxes will throw strong light on the conditions of life 
and society at that time. 

Of the 219 polls assessed, 55 or one-fourth part were 
assessed a poll tax only. ^ These were : 

Jacob Abbott Benj. Wiser 

James Robertson Benj. Harvard 

3 Of the larger nnmber of these 55 poll tax payers there is little 
knowledge. So far as known, none of them have descendants bear- 
ing the name in Havei-hill to-day. Benjamin Wiser was the father 
of a large family of children, and one of his sons, Benjamin, Jr., 
was one of the characters of the town in the fortys and fiftys. In 
fact, Ben. Wiser had nearly as much of a local reputation as was 
enjoyed by John Page, Jr., whose name appears in the above list 
and who, as trusted county and state official, as governor and 
United States senator, was for many years the first citizen not only 
of the town, but of Northern New Hampshire. 



20 



Nathan Bagley 
Freeman Hurlbutt 
Joseph Bullock 
Ebenezer Woodbury 
John Stevens 
Samuel Ames 
Grove Sanders 
John Jones 
Noah W Keniston 
Amos Bailey 
Charles P Feseenden 
Erastus C Cutler 
James Hutchinson 
Samuel Miller 
Grove Bowen 
Jacob Ingersoll 
Jonathan Lord 
Oliver Knapp 
Phineas Davenport 
Ezekiel L Bailey 
William Kimball 
Simeon Stafford 
Baldwin Pelton 
Thomas McCollister 
John Merrill 



William Hazelton 
Ahira Wright 
Jonathan Whitman 
Thomas Colby 
Aaron Whitney 
Josiah Elkins 
Isaac Martin 
Gideon Cole 
John Lawrence 
Nathan Ward 
Daniel Burton 
John Hartwell 
James Ladd, Jr 
Nathan Fitch 
John Page, Jr 
Hazen Bedell 
Lothrop Knapp 
Eliphalet Quimby 
Thomas Harbert 
Charles Morton 
Parley Harris 
Thomas Snell 

Jones 

Comfort Joy 
Jonathan Pool 



Richard Quimby 
The tax assessed on polls and property, leaving out those 
who were taxpayers only, merits a study in detail, raising the 
question whether the burdens of taxation would not be 
more equitably distributed were there a return to the old 
methods of careful and painstaking detail. It will be seen 
from the inventory that the tax upon each item was 



21 



assessed separately. The rate was 5 mills on each dollar 
of valuation, except as above mentioned in the case of bank 
stock and money at interest, and the tax assessed was as 
follows, for those paying a tax of ten dollars and upwards 
on real estate in addition to their personal property : 

Jacob Bailey, poll 

2 horses . 

2 horses 3 winters 
1 horse 2 winters 
4 oxen 
7 cows 

3 neats 3 winters 
3 neats 2 winters 
20 acres mowing 
15 acres arable land 
24 acres pasture land 
300 acres woodland 
buildings $400 



Total 

John Kimball, poll 

1 horse 

1 horse 4 winters 

1 horse 3 winters 

2 oxen 

3 cows 

2 neats 3 winters 

3 neats 2 winters 
8 acres arable land 
10 acres mowing: land 
8 acres pasture land . 



$1.30 

1.40 

.60 

.10 

1.60 

1.40 

.30 

.15 

4.00 

3.00 

1.20 

3.00 

2.00 

$20.05 

$1.30 
.70 
.50 
.30 
.80 
.60 
.20 
.15 
1.60 
2.0C 
.4C 



22 



1-3 of 100 acres woodland 


.34 


buildings 


1.00 


Total tax . 


$9.89 


John Sandborn, poll .... 


$1.30 


2 horses 


1.40 


2 horses 3 winters 


.60 


1 horse 2 winters 


.15 


2 oxen .... 


.80 


5 cows .... 


1.00 


5 neat 3 winters 


.50 


7 neat 2 winters 


.35 


8 acres arable land 


1.60 


25 acres mowing land 


5.00 


60 acres pasture land 


3.00 


Simpson Farm, 4 acres arable land . 


.80 


4 acres mowing land . 


.80 


4 acres pasture land . 


.20 


2 house lots, Nos. 3 and 4, 


1.50 


50 acres woodland 


.50 


buildings, $500 


2,50 


Total .... 


. $22.00 


* Amos Kimball, poll .... 


$1.30 


5 horses .... 


3.50 


1 horse 3 winters 


.30 


2 oxen .... 


.80 


13 cows .... 


2.60 


3 neats 3 winters 


.30 


15 acres arable land 


3.00 



23 





30 acres mowing land 


6.00 




32 acres pasture land 


1.60 




buildings, $600 


3.00 




6 bank shares . . . . 


2.25 




300 acres woodland . 


3.00 


J. Harriman, 


70 acres Lot No. 50 N. . 


.75 




70 acres Lot No. 35 N. , 


.75 


B. Moores 


100 acre lot No. 4 N. 
Total 


1.50 




$30.65 


Benjamin Morse, poll .... 


1.30 




3 horses .... 


2.10 




2 oxen .... 


.80 




2 cows .... 


.40 




1 neat 3 winters 


.10 




13 acres arable land 


2.60 




18 acres mowing land 


3.80 




12 acres pasture land 


.60 




'' 1 acre orchard 


.30 


Hancock Lot- 


I 9 acres mowing land 


1.70 




3 acres arable land 


.60 




100 acres Lot No. 28 


1.50 




old chaise 


.12 




buildings, $600 


3.00 




1 neat 2 winters 
Total 


.05 




$18.97 



4 Amos Kimball, one of the earliest settlers of the town, born in 
Bradford, Mass., August 31, 1750, went first from Bradford to Bar- 
net, Vt., but came to Haverhill about 1788, living for a time on 
Ladd Street, but later purchased the farms subsequently owned by 
his sons John and Francis D. and still later by the late Ezra S. and 
J. Porter Kimball. Amos Kimbf^ll was a man of great energy and 
force of character and was prominent in town affairs. 



24 



Thomas Morse, poll ..... 


$1.30 


3 horses .... 


2.10 


1 chaise . . . . . 


.15 


9 acres arable land 


1.80 


11 acres mowing land 


2.20 


8 acres pasture land 


.40 


buildings, $200 


1.00 


money at interest, $600 . . 


4.50 


50 acres land . . . . 


1.00 


Total 


. $14.45 


^ Obadiah Swasey, poll .... 


$1.30 


1 horse .... 


.70 


3 cows .... 


.60 


8 acres mowing land 


1.60 


1 sawmill & gristmill, net inc'me 


$96 8.00 


buildings, 1300 


1.50 


Total .... 


. $13.70 


Adams True, poll . . . . . 


$1.30 


1 horse . . . . . 


.70 


1 cow . . . . . 


.20 



5 Obadiah Swasey, born in Haverhill, Mass., in 1775, came to 
Newbury, Vt., before 1800. He married Nancy, daughter of Maj. 
Nathaniel Merrill, and came to No. Haverhill about 1802, where he 
engaged with his father-in-law in sawing lumber, the settlement 
being known for years as Swasey's Mills and later as "Slab City." 
One of his daughters married John L. Woods, for whom Woods- 
ville was named; another became the wife of Dr. Henry B. Leon- 
ard, and four of his sons, Samuel, Benjamin, John H. and Nathan- 
iel M. became well known and leading citizens of Haverhill. Of 
the numerous descendants of Obadiah Swasey, none are now living 
in town. 



25 



70 acres Lot No. 21 S. 


.75 


70 acres Lot No. 24 S. . 


.75 


40 acres Lot No. 18 N. 


.25 


To Mr. John Hazen, Jr. 




16 acres arable land 


3.20 


10 acres mowing land 


2.00 


18 acres pasture land 


.90 


buildings, $200 


1.00 


Total . . . . 


$11.05 


B Timothy A. Edson, poll 


$1.30 


1 horse .... 


.70 


1 horse 4 winters 


.50 


1 horse 3 winters 


.30 


2 oxen .... 


.80 


4 cows .... 


.80 


3 neat 3 winters 


.30 


3 neat 2 winters 


.15 


10 acres arable land 


2.00 


20 acres mowing land 


4.00 


24 acres pasture land . 


1.20 


1 chaise .... 


.30 


100 acres Lot No. 172, 2d r 


2.00 


70 acres No. 5 No., W. Porter 


.75 


buildings 1450 . 


2.25 


Total .... 


$17.35 



6 Timothy A. Edson came to Haverhill early in the nineteenth 
century and was for years one of the leading citizens, not only of 
the town, but also of the county. Besides holding various town 
offices, he was sheriff of the county for six years, 1813-1818. He 
was owner of the Hazen farm for some years and occupied it, and 
a road leading from the main highway to the meadow near the 
residence of David Whitcher is still known as the Edson road. He 
removed to Littleton in 1824 and lived there till his death, and his 
descendants became prominent in the business of that town. 



26 



David Merrill, poll . 
2 horses 
4 cows 

2 oxen 4 winters 
4 neat 2 winters 
8 acres tillage 
15 acres mowing land 
12 acres pasture land 
buildings, $200 . 

Total . 



1.30 

1.40 

.80 

.60 

.20 

1.60 

3.00 

.60 

1.00 

$10.50 



Nathaniel Merrill, poll 






$1.30 


3 horses 






2.10 


2 oxen 






.80 


5 cows 






1.00 


1 oxen 4 winters . 






.30 


1 neat 2 winters . 






.05 


8 acres mowing land 






1.60 


8 acres arable land 






1.60 


20 acres pasture land 






1.00 


1 chaise 






.25 


70 acres Lot No. 7 






.75 


70 " " 38 






.75 


40 " " 17 






.25 


70 " " 2 






.75 


40 " " 4 






.25 


40 " " 17 






.25 


150 " woodland 






1.50 


buildings, $400 . 






2.00 



Total 



$16.50 



27 



' Asa Porter, poll 


11.30 


6 oxen .... 


2.40 


4 oxen 4 winters 


1.20 


5 cows .... 


1.00 


5 horses . . . . . 


3.50 


2 horses 4 winters 


1.00 


2 horses 3 winters 


.60 


3 horses 2 winters 


.30 


1 old chaise 


.25 


30 acres arable land 


6.00 


50 acres mowing land 


10.00 


20 acres pasture land . 


1.00 


50 bank shares at 175 


28.12 


house lot No. 7 . 


.75 


40-acre lot, No. 25 . 


.25 


100 " "25 


1.50 


270 " 


1.50 


40 " ... 


.25 



" Few men were more prominent in the early history of Haver- 
hill than Col. Asa Porter. As early as 1771 he owned and operated 
a ferry across the Connecticut at Horse Meadow, still known as the 
Porter place. During the War of the Revolution his sympathies 
were with the Crown and he was voted an enemy by the Exeter 
authorities. He was arrested and kept a prisoner in Massachu- 
setts for some months, but was subsequently permitted to return 
to Haverhill on parole. In his later years he regained to some 
extent the esteem and confidence of his townsmen. His farm was 
a large and valuable one and was later owned by the late Samuel 
F. Southard. He was also the owner of large landed properties in 
Corinth and Topsham, Vt. He was a man of aristocratic tastes 
and habits, a graduate of Harvard College, and mingled but little 
socially with his neighbors. One of his daughters married Mills 
Olcott of Hanover and one of the Olcott daughters became the wife 
of Joseph Bell, another the wife of William H. Duncan, and still 
another of Rufus Choate. 



28 



100 " No. 24, 2d . . . 


1.50 


100 " " 12, 2, 70 and 40 


3.25 


buildings $1,300 . . . . 


6.50 


Total 


172.17 


Charles Bruce, poll 


$1.30 


1 horse 


.70 


1 horse 3 winters 


.30 


1 horse 2 winters 


.10 


2 oxen 


.80 


7 cows 


1.40 


3 neat 3 winters . . . . 


.30 


2 neat 2 winters 


.10 


20 acres mowing land . 


4.00 


3 acres arable land 


.60 


24 acres pasture land . 


1.20 


buildings, $150 


.75 


Total 


$11.55 


^Daniel Carr, poll 


$1.30 


2 horses .... 


1.40 


1 horse 4 winters 


.50 


2 oxen .... 


.80 


3 cows .... 


.60 



8 Capt. Daniel Carr, like his brother, Deacon John Carr, came to 
Haverhill from Newburyport prior to 1800 and settled on a farm on 
Brier Hill, now owned by his great-grandson and namesake, Dan- 
iel Carr. Deacon Daniel Carr, eldest son of Daniel, was for many 
years deacon of the now defunct Baptist church at No. Haverhill, 
and Major Samuel Carr, another son, was selectman for several 
years. A grandson, the late Daniel E. Carr, was twice a member 
of the legislature. 



29 



2 oxen 4 winters 


.60 


3 neat 3 winters 


.30 


3 neat 2 winters 


.15 


14 acres mowing land . 


2.80 


3 acres arable land 


.60 


12 acres pasture land . 


.60 


1 chaise 


.50 


buildings, $200 . . . . 


1.00 


Total .... 


. 111.15 


' Clark Woodward, poll .... 


$1.30 


2 horses .... 


1.40 


4 oxen .... 


1.60 


4 cows .... 


.80 


2 neat 2 winters . 


.10 


2 acres arable land 


.40 


10 acres mowing land 


2.00 


10 acres pasture land . 


.50 


ImiU .... 


3.00 


70 acres Lot No. 59 


.75 


buildings, $150 . 


.75 


Total .... 


. $12.60 


Robert Forsaith, poll .... 


$1.30 


2 horses .... 


1.40 


2 oxen .... 


.80 


9 cows .... 


1.80 



" Clark Woodward was a son of Judge James Woodward, who 
first represented Haverhill in the legislature, and was a farmer 
living at Ladd Street. A brother of his, Joshua, inherited the 
James Woodward homestead, which is now owned by James 
Woodward, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of the 
town. 



30 



7 neat 3 winters . 






.70 


8 neat 2 winters . 






.40 


20 acres mowing land 






4.00 


5 acres arable land 






1.00 


30 acres pasture land 






1.50 


buildings, $350 . 






1.75 


Total . 


. 114.65 


David Clark, poll 






$1.30 


2 horses 






1.40 


2 horses 3 winters 






.60 


4 oxen 






1.60 


10 cows 






2.00 


7 neat 3 winters . 






.70 


7 neat 2 winters . 






.35 


6 acres arable land 






1.20 


24 acres mowing land 






4.80 


30 acres pasture land 






1.50 


70 acres Lot No. 29 S. 






.75 


buildings, |400 . 






2.00 


Total . 


118.20 


Moses Elkins, poll . . . . 






$1.30 


1 horse 






.70 


1 horse 4 winters 






.50 


2 oxen 






.80 


2 cows 






.40 


4 neat 3 winters . 






.40 


3 neat 2 winters 






.15 


4 acres arable land 






.80 


10 acres mowing land 






2.00 


24 acres pasture land 






1.20 



31 



1 acre orchard 
buildings, |400 . 

Total 

^^ Edmund Carleton, poll . 

1 horse 
4 oxen 
3 cows 

2 neat 3 winters . 
2 neat 2 winters . 

20 acres mowing land 
24 acres pasture land 
14 bank shares, $15 
buildings, $500 . 

Total 

11 Jonathan Sinclair, poll . 

2 horses 

3 cows 

1 neat 2 winters . 

stock in trade 

6 acres arable land 



.80 

2.00 



$10.55 

$1.30 
.70 

1.60 
.60 
.20 
.10 

4.00 

1.20 
10.50 

2.50 

$22.70 

$1.30 

1.40 

.60 

.05 

.50 

1.20 



10 Dr. Edmund Carleton, born in Haverhill, Mass., in 1771, came 
to Haverhill in 1796, and was a physician of wide and successful 
practice for more than forty years. He was the owner of a large 
farm near the Piermont line, afterwards owned by his son Arthur. 
One son, Edmund, Jr., was a graduate of Dartmouth College and 
was a leading lawyer in Littleton for many years. 

• 11 Capt. Jonathan Sinclair was one of the famous tavern keepers 
of the day and the large brick house on Court Street, at the Corner, 
owned for so many years by the late Dr. Phineas Spaulding and 
now known as the Crawford House, was made famous as his hos- 
tlery. 



32 



15 acres mowing land . 


3.00 


12 acres pasture land . 


.60 


buildings, $300 .. 


1.50 


1 acre orchard 


.30 


Total . 


. $10.45 


^'^ Ross Coon, poll .... 


11.30 


3 horses 


2.10 


1 horse 2 winters 


.10 


4 cows 


.80 


70 acres Lot No. 29, N. 1st, 


.75 


stock in trade 


1.50 


buildings, $800 . 


4.00 


1 chaise 


.20 


Total . 


. $10.75 


13 Charles Johnston, poll . . . . 


$1.30 


1 horse 


.70 


2 oxen 


.80 


4 oxen 4 winters . 


1.20 



12 Koss Coon was another of the old time landlords, and "Ross 
Coon's tavern" was noted for its good table — and most excellent 
bar. He was also called Dr. Coon, and knowing as little of theol- 
ogy as he did of medicine — both very, very little — also practiced 
and preached. He was one of the characters of his time and some 
of his quaint sayings are still quoted. 

13 Col. Charles Johnston, born in Hampstead in 1737, from the 
year 1769, when he came to Haverhill and settled at Haverhill Cor- 
ner, till his death in 1813, was beyond question the foremost citi- 
zen of Haverhill in point of ability and influence. He was public 
spirited and was the founder or one of the founders of all the 
public institutions of the town. He gave the town the beautiful 
Common at the Corner, around which the village was subsequently 
built. He secured the removal of the court house and jail from its 



33 



2 cows 




.40 


3 neat 3 winters . 




.30 


6 acres tillage land 




1.20 


15 acres mowing land . 




3.00 


20 acres pasture land . 




1.00 


80 acres of 100 acre lot No. 18, S. 


1.40 


part of 100 acre lot A, No. 2, S. . 


1.50 


70 acre Lot No. 70, S. 


.75 


3 bank shares . . . . 


1.68 


Total , 




115.33 


Michael Johnston, poll 




11.30 


2 horses 




1.40 


2 oxen 




.80 


8 cows 




1.60 


1 cow 3 winters . 




.10 


3 neat 2 winters . 




.15 


6 acres tillage land 




1.20 


19 acres mowing land 




3.80 


18 acres pasture land 




.90 


240 acre lots, Nos. 4 and 5 S. 


.50 


1-2 100 acre lot No. 3, 2d r 


1.00 


2 bank shares 


1.12 


buildings, $500 


2.50 


Total .... 


. $16.37 


first location, just above No. Haverhill, to 


the Corner. 

'11 A na i^amv 


He was a 

• Vifi fnnlr a. 



prominent part in the war of the Revolution, and the victory at 
Bennington was as much his as John Stark's; he was one of the 
incorporators of the Coos turnpike and of the Social Library, and 
he held for years the important official positions which were with- 
in the gift of his townsmen; was County treasurer, a member of 
the Executive Council, and for a period of twenty-six years, until 
disqualified by age, judge of probate for the County of Grafton. 



34 



^* Joseph Bliss, poll . . . . 






-11.30 


2 horses 






1.40 


3 cows 






.60 


stock in trade 






4.00 


1 acre arable land 






.20 


1 chaise 






.37 


1 chaise 






.18 


58 acres woodland 






1.50 


buildings, $900 . 






4.50 



Total 



114.05 



David Webster, 1 poll 


$1.30 


1 horse .... 


.70 


2 oxen . . . . . 


.80 


3 cows .... 


.60 


3 acres arable land 


.60 


8 acres mowing land . 


1.60 


20 acres pasture land . 


1.00 


58 acres woodland 


1.50 


1-2 100 acre lot 2, No. 1, 2d r . 


1.50 


15 bank shares, 175 


8.43 


1 chaise .... 


.60 


buildings, $700 . 


3.50 


Total .... 


$22.13 



14 Joseph Bliss was the first postmaster ©f the town, holding his 
commission from George Washington, and for many years his 
house, still standing on Court street and in later years the resi- 
dence of the late Geo. W. Leith, was known as "the Bliss Tavern," 
and was perhaps the most aristocratic and exclusive of the many 
Haverhill hostleries. 



35 



15 


Alden Sprague, 1 poll 

1 horse 

2 cows 

16 bank shares 
1 chaise 
buildings, $500 . 

Total . 






$1.30 
.70 
.40 

9.00 
.50 

2.50 




$14.40 


16 


George Woodward, 1 poll 

1 horse 
4 oxen 

2 cows 

2 neat 2 winters . 
2 acres arable land 
6 acres mowing land 
20 acres pasture land 
50 acres woodland 
1 chaise 
buildings, $900 . 

Total . 






$1.30 

.70 

1.60 

.40 

.10 

.40 

1.20 

1.00 

1.50 

.75 

4.50 




. 




. $13.45 



15 Alden Sprague came to Haverhill prior to 1796, and was for 
years a distinguished member of the Grafton County bar. One of 
his daughters became the wife of James I. Swan of Bath, a noted 
lawyer of his day, and another became the wife of Hamlin Rand 
and the mother of the late Edward D. Rand of Lisbon and Charles 
W. Rand of Littleton. A grandson of Alden Sprague, Hon. E. C. 
Sprague, was one of the most prominent lawyers of western New 
York and bore a prominent and decisive part in the memorable 
Cleveland-Blaine campaign in 1884, as a friend of Mr. Cleveland. 

16 George Woodward was another of the early lawyers of Haver- 
hill. He was born in Hanover in 1776, was a grandson of Eleazer 
Wheelock, first president of Dartmouth College, and graduated 
from that institution in 1793. He was a son of Judge Bezaleel 
"Woodward of Hanover and his name naturally appears as one of 
the delegates to the Orford convention before mentioned, the pre- 
cursor of the Hartford convention. 



36 



Samuel Brooks, 1 poll 


$1.30 


1 horse . . . . . 


.70 


2 oxen 


.80 


1 cow . . . . . 


.20 


1 chaise 


.15 


stock in trade, $1,500 


7.50 


1 4 bank shares at $75 


7.87 


buildings, $800 


4.00 


a mill 


2.00 


Total 


$24.52 


David Philbrick, 1 poll .... 


$1.30 


3 horses 


2.10 


4 oxen . . . . . 


1.60 


4 cows .... 


.80 


3 neat 3 winters . 


.30 


2 neat 2 winters . 


•lo 


4 acres arable land 


.80 


15 acres mowing land . 


3.00 


10 acres pasture land . 


.50 


20 acres woodland 


.40 


buildings, $200 


1.00 


Total .... 


. $11.90 


^1 Edward Towle, 1 poll .... 


$1.30 


2 horses .... 


1.40 


1 horse 2 winters 


.10 


4 oxen .... 


1.60 


1 cow .... 


.20 


4 neat 3 winters 


.40 


12 acres arable land 


2.40 


22 acres mowing land 


4.40 



37 



8 acres pasture land - - - .40 

buildings, 11000 - - - 5.00 

2 chaise - - - - .75 

6 bank shares, $300 - - - 2.25 

$300 at interest - - - - 2.25 



Total ... - .|22.45 

18 John Page, 1 poll $1.30 

4 horses 2.80 

1 horse 3 winters - - . .30 

4 oxen 1.60 

6 cows 1.20 

10 neat 3 winters . . . I.OO 

6 neat 2 winters . _ . ,30 

19 acres arable land - - . 3,80 

33 acres mowing land - . - 6.60 

32 acres pasture land - - - 1.92 

100 acres lot No. 3 - - - 3.00 

100 acre Lot No. 20 N. - - 1.50 

70 acres Lot No. 19 N. - - .75 

70 acres Lot No. 54 S. - - .75 

40 acres Lot No. 23 N. - - .25 

280 acres 3.25 

40 acres Lot No. 31 N. - . .25 

70 acres Lot No. 21 S. - . .75 

17 Edward Towle was one of a family notable in the history of 
the town. He was the eldest son of Simeon Towle who was born 
in Hampton in 1759 and who removed with his family to Haverhill 
in 1805. Edward Towle was the proprietor of the Towle stage 
tavern, which became the leading hostlery at the Corner for judges 
and lawyers, as well as for stage drivers and passengers, after the 
death of Joseph Bliss. One daughter of Edward Towle became the 
wife of Dr. Hiram Morgan, another the wife of Gerge W. Chapman 
and still another of George S. Towle of Lebanon. 



38 

70 acres Lot No. 24 - - - 75 

1 chaise 20 

1 acre orchard land - . . 30 

buiidmgs, $!500 - - . 2 50 



Total ... - S35 07 

John Montgomery, 1 poll - - - - - $1 30 

2 horses 

1 horse 3 winters . _ - 
6 oxen 

3 cows 

4 neat 3 winters . - - - 
14 acres arable land - - - 
25 acres mowing land 
36 acres pasture land 
3-4 of 100 acres Lot No. 8 - 
1 coach, 1 new chaise, 1 old chaise 
stock in trade . _ - . 
100 bank shares, $75 each - 
buildings, -fl,100 

1 sawmill 

1 gristmill - - - : - 

Total $100 20 

18 Joliu Page was one of the very first settlers of Haverhill, com- 
ing to town bearing an ax and a small bundle of clothes in 1762. 
His name and those of his descendants have been writ large in the 
history of the town. His homestead is now in the possession of 
Mrs. Edward L. Page, the widow of his grandson. His wife Han- 
nah, the daughter of the Kev. Samuel Royce, the first minister in 
Landaff, bore him four sons, John, later Governor of the State, 
William Green, Samuel and Stephen Royce. Two of his great- 
grandsons, Charles P. and Frederick W. are residents of the town 
and are engaged in mercantile business at the corner. 



1 


40 




15 


2 


40 




60 




40 


2 


80 


5 


00 


1 


80 


1 


50 


2 


60 


12 


50 


56 


25 


5 


50 


4 


00 


2 


00 



39 



^9 Joseph Pearson, 1 poll - - - - 

1 horse . . . - . 


11 30 
70 


1 horse 2 winters 


10 


2 oxen . . . - ■ 


80 


3 cows . . . - 


60 


1 neat 3 winters - - - 


10 


5 acres arable land 


1 00 


10 acres mowing land - 


2 00 


25 acres pasture land - 

1-2 of 100 Acre Lot No. 7 - 


1 20 
75 


1 chaise . - - - 


35 


8 bank shares 


4 50 


2 neat 2 winters 


10 


buildings, 1300 - 
2-3 of 3 mills 


1 50 

3 00 


Total - - - - 


- 118 00 


20 Moody Bedel, poll . . - - 
1 horse . . - - 


11 30 
70 


6 cows . - . - 


1 20 


10 acres arable land 


2 00 


10 acres mowing land - 
28 acres pasture land - 
buildings, 1550 - 
70 acres Lot No. 32, N. 


2 00 

1 40 

2 75 

75 


70 acres " 34, " 


70 


40 acres " 29, " 


25 


40 " " 21, " 


25 



19 Joseph Pearson was another of the early settlers, coming to 
town from Boscawen, and as early as 1799 was the proprietor of a 
fulling mill at Oliverian Brook. The family was a prominent one 
for many years, but none of its members now reside in town. 
Joseph Pearson married a daughter of Col. Charles Johnston. 



40 



25 
75 
75 
75 
25 
25 
75 
25 
25 
75 
75 
1-3 meadow lot No. 7 - - 12 



70 




(( 


34, S 


40 




a 


1 " 


70 




a 


8 " 


70 




(( 


45 " 


70 




(( 


7 " 


40 




(( 


9 N. 


40 




(( 


19 " 


70 




(( 


23 S. 


40 




(( 


20 N. 


40 




(( 


5 « 


70 




u 


65 S. 


70 




i% 


30 « 



Total $20 12 

Ezekiel Ladd, 1 horse $ 70 

2 oxen 80 

3 cows - - . _ . 60 
1 neat 3 winters - - - - 10 
1 neat 2 winters - - - - 5 
6 acres arable land . - _ 1 20 
18 acres mowing land - - 3 60 
1 acre orchard - - . . 30 
24 acres pasture land - - - 1 20 

20 Gen. Moody Bedel was the son of Col. Timothy Bedel of Revo- 
lutionary fame and one of the original proprietors of Haverhill, 
was born in 1764. He served as a boy in his father's regiment, and 
during the war of 1812, as commander of the Sixth Brigade of 
militia, was placed in charge of the district of New Hampshire for 
recruiting. He was also in active service during the war, and was 
distinguished for bravery at the head of his regiment at the battle 
of Lake Erie. The Bedel family was one of soldiers. One son of 
Moody, the late Gen. John Bedel of Bath, rendered good account 
of himself in the Mexican war and the war for the Union. 



41 



70 acres Lot No 9, 1st range 
1-2 of 100 acres Lot No 19, S 2d r 
100 acres Lot No 9, N 
buildings, 1600 - - - - 
1 chaise . - - - - 

Total 

Samuel Ladd, poll 

1 horse 

1 horse 3 winters . . - 

2 oxen 

5 cows - - - - - 

4 neat 3 winters ■ - - - 
2 neat 2 winters - . - - 
9 acres arable land 

14 acres mowing land - 
16 acres pasture land - 
buildings, 1500 - - - - 
1 chaise . . . . . 
200 acres Lot No. 10 - 
40 acres " " - 
100 " S . - . . 

70 " Lot No. 44 N - 

Total - - - - 

James Woodward, poll _ _ _ - 
2 horses _ _ . - 
2 oxen _ _ _ - 

4 cows _ _ _ - 

1 neat 2 winters 
10 acres arable land 
16 acres mowing 
40 acres pasture land - 



1 75 


75 


1 50 


3 00 


30 


il4 85 


$1 30 


70 


30 


80 


1 00 


40 


10 


1 80 


2 80 


80 


2 50 


30 


1 50 


25 


1 50 


75 


$17 20 


$ 1 30 


- 1 40 


80 


80 


05 


2 00 


- 3 20 


2 00 



42 



1 chaise, 


$15 







buildings 


, $600 




2 acres orchard 




70 acres 


Lot 


No. 


51 


70 acres 




No. 


46 


70 acres 




No. 


45 


70 acres 




No. 


39 


70 acres 




No. 


3 


.70 acres 




No. 


22 


40 acres 




No. 


27 


70 acres 




No. 


75 


40 acres 




No. 


8 


40 acres 




No. 


10 



1-2 100 acres land No. 21 
70 acres " No. 57 - 

Total - 

Richard Gookin, poll - - - - 
2 horses _ _ _ 
4 oxen _ _ _ 

4 cows _ _ _ 

1 neat 3 winters 
8 acres tillage land 
15 acres mowing land - 
12 acres pasture land 
1 chaise, $130 
12 1-2 bank shares 
26 acres woodland 
Btock in trade, $200 
factory and building $1000 

Total 



75 

00 
60 
75 
75 
75 
75 
75 
75 
25 
75 
25 
25 
00 
75 



$23 


65 


$ 1 


30 


1 


40 


1 


60 




80 




05 


1 


60 


3 


00 




80 




75 


6 


99 


1 


00 


1 


00 


5 


00 



$25 29 



43 



Daniel Quimby, poll - - - 
1 horse 

1 horse 2 winters 
4 oxen 
6 cows 

6 neats 3 winters 
4 neats 2 winters 
15 acres arable land 
25 acres mowing land 
35 acres pasture land 
buildings, $600 - 
100 acres woodland 

Total - 



$ 1 


30 




70 




10 


1 


60 


1 


20 




60 




20 


3 


00 


5 


00 


1 


75 


3 


00 


1 


50 



Ud 95 



^1 Taxpayers whose assessment was less than ten dollars 
aside from those already enumerated as paying a poll tax 
only, were the following, the amount of tax being given 
for each : 



Moody L Chamberlain 


$1.70 


Moses Abbott 


16.90 


Moses Campbell 


2.00 


Daniel Rowell 


4.90 


Joseph Fry 


.10 


Richard Rowell 


.15 


John S. Sandborn 


3.02 


Rice Howard 


1.50 


James Morse, 


2.00 


Christopher Seaton 


4.05 


John Morse, 2d 


2.20 


Bryan Kay 


5.85 


John True 


4.65 


Edward B. Crocker 


2.05 


Zachariah Bacon 


7.85 


Daniel Morse 


6.10 



21 The list of taxpayers contains the names of 145 persons aside 
from those who paid a poll tax only, whose tax was less than $10, 
and this list is an interesting one, containing as it does many 
names which were of large importance and influence in the early 
history of the town. 



44 



John Morse 16.40 
Widowlsabella Johnson 1.25 

Hazen Shelly 2.00 

Ebenezer Jones 2.10 

22 Joshua Howard 6.85 
Abial Willis 1.50 
John J. Bedel 1.50 
Moses Barron 1.50 
Roger Willis 3.00 
William Grimshaw 3.70 
Richard Stevens 2.00 
Abraham Rogers 2.10 

23 James Abbott 7.40 
Cyrus Allen 6-90 
James King 8.90 
Thos. Davis 2.00 
John Carr 9.10 



Jacob Bedel $3.60 

Benj. Gould 3.00 

Charles Wheeler 2.20 

Nathan'l Runnells 1.20 

Amos Howard 3.25 

Elisha Hurlburt 3.17 

El zabeth Crocker 3.75 

Jona. Martin 1.50 

Ephraim Hildreth 2.05 

Stephen Morse 9.30 

Joseph Morse 2.00 

Moses Morse 2.00 

James Abbot, Jr 2.35 

Samuel Gould .30 

Edward King 4.15 

Jahleel Willis 3.42 

Stephen Morse, 3d 3.20 



22 Col. Joshua Howard was one of the young men who came to 
Haverhill with Jesse Harriman and Simeon Stevens in April, 1762, 
to begin the settlement of the Coos Country. He was the one pio- 
neer who remained, dying in 1839 at the advanced age of 99, at his 
home on what has been known for a century as Howard's Island, 
just north of the County Farm buildings. He did good service as 
an officer in the war of the Revolution, served the town in all of 
its important offices, represented the town in the Windsor conven- 
tion which attempted to form a state government, including the 
towns on both sides the Connecticut river; in short, for a period of 
half a century was recognized as a leading and useful citizen. 

23 Deacon James Abbott was another of the oldest settlers. He 
was moderator of the town meeting as early as 1767, and was one 
of the early town clerks, though he could not have been chosen to 
this office because of the excellence of his penmanship. After the 
close of the Revolutionary war he removed to Groton, Vt., becom- 
ing one of the first settlers of that town. 



45 



Joseph Emerson $2.55 

Henry Colby 3.66 

Stephen Morse, 2d 2.00 

James Jeffers 5.00 

25 Billy Porter 4.42 

Joseph Flanders, Jr 3.70 

Sam'l Danforth .20 

Sam'l Danforth, Jr. 3.35 

Ira Martin 1.50 

Supply Barnes 2.05 

Jno. Sevey 1.10 

David Forsaith 6.65 

Alphens Ladd 1.80 

Amos Blood 5.07 

Abel Webber 1.75 

William Mitchell .20 



2^ Richardson French $8.75 

Caleb Morse 8.05 

Ebenezer Whitaker 8.15 

John Jeffers 3.50 

Joseph Flanders 4.65 
Onisephorus Flanders 5.37 

Silas Danforth 1.70 

26 Andrew S. Crocker 8.10 

Nath'l Hela 2.35 

Lawson Drury 7.75 

Benj. Young 1.60 

Asa Ladd 7.85 

John Lawrence 1.50 

Stephen Lawrence .50 

Abigail Coffin 2.10 

John Hazeltine .20 



24 Richardson French settled previous to 1800 in the vicinity of 
the pond which bears his name, near the center of the town, and 
gained great fame as a hunter and trapper. The late Andrew 
French of Brier Hill was one of his grandsons, and another grand- 
son living in town is Nahum W. French of North Haverhill. 

*5 " Billy " Porter was a brother of Col. Asa Porter who, after liv- 
ing at Horse Meadow for a time, settled on the "Turnpike" on 
what is still known as Porter Hill. One of his daughters became 
the wife of John Osgood, the famous clock-maker. 

26 Andrew Savage Crocker, a native of Hollis, came to Haverhill 
early and was one of the selectmen as early as 1771 ; was also one 
of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace. During the war of the 
Revolution his sympathies were evidently with the Crown, though 
he never lost the respect of his townsmen. He lived at Horse 
Meadow and had one son, Edward Bass Crocker. The late Freder- 
ick Crocker of Pittsburg, Pa., Alvah Crocker of Fitchburg, Mass., 
and the wife of the late Hiram Carr of Boston were descendants of 
Edward B. Crocker. There is no representative of the family in 
town at the piesent time. 



46 



■^" Avery Sanders 
Amos Home 
Geo. Kniglit 
Jacob Williams 
Joseph Edmonds 
John L. Corliss 
Stephen P. Webster 
John Nelson 
Coos Bank Building 
2^ John Osgood 
William Clark 
2° Israel Swan 
Stephen F. Heminway 
Bryan Morse 



$1.50 


James Gould 


12.30 


2.25 


Joseph Lee 


1.15 


1.40 


Jona. Soper 


2.70 


5.80 


James Porter 


1.63 


2.20 


Noah Davis 


4.00 


4.70 


Stephen Adams 


1.55 


6.90 


Henry Hutchinson 


2.05 


2.50 . 
1.50 


,8 William Barstow } 
Henry Barstow \ 


9.10 


7.25 


T. L. Houghton 


2.00 


5.75 


Moses Dow, Jr. 


3.80 


5.25 


^' Moses Dow 


9.77 


• 2.00 


Ephraim Kingsbury 


4.50 


6.10 


Aaron Dexter 


2.00 



27 Avery Sanders was a son of Jonathan Sanders, who came to 
Haverhill from Hampton in 1763. Avery Sanders was a soldier in 
the Eevolutionary war, enlisting for no less than five different 
periods of service. 

28 Henry Barstow and William Barstow were the leading rejjre- 
sentatives of a family which exerted large influence in town for 
many years. They came from Campton when mere boys. Henry 
was born in 1787 and William was two years younger. Henry mar- 
ried first, Harriet, daughter of Capt. David Webster, and a daugh- 
ter of theirs married Merrill Pearson of Chicago. Ellen, a daugh- 
ter by his second wife, married Henry M. Ketchum of Chicago. 
Alfred, a son, became a leading lawyer in San Francisco; Anson, 
another son, a grain dealer in Oakland, Cal., while Gardner, an- 
other son, won large reijutation and wealth as a Chicago grain 
dealer. Henry Barstow was a leading merchant for years, a dea- 
con in the Congregationalist church, a prominent and influential 
citizen. His brother William became his partner after being a 
clerk in Gen. John Montgomery's store, and Federalist and Whig 
like Henry came into his reward as postmaster after the Tippeca- 
noe victory in 1840. George, a son of William, was educated at the 
Haverhill Academy and Dartmouth, read law with Robert Rantoul, 
wrote a history of his native state, went to California, where he 



47 



Obadiah Glines $2.20 

Daniel Heath .40 

Timotliy Bedel .70 

John Pike 3.00 

Isaac Pearson 9.30 

Uriah Ward 3.50 

Moody Ladd 5.10 

William Harnley 1.70 

Jesse Woodward 6.55 

John Olnistead 1.75 

John Belcher 2.00 

Amos Chapman 1.50 

Joseph Harbert 4.75 

Joshua Wood 1.63 

Jacob Woodward 3.70 

Ezekiel Ladd, Jr. 9.50 

Phineas Ayres 9.15 

William Ladd 6.45 



David Hildreth $2.55 

John C. Butler 2.80 

Benjamin Burton 1.70 

Amos Davenport 1.70 

Samuel Gookin 1.70 

Joseph Ladd 3.40 

Phineas Swan 4.30 

Joshua Woodward 9.97 

Simeon Olmstead 1.80 

Elias Sterns 2.40 

Timothy B. Bayley 2.45 

Ephraim Crouch 1.50 

William Cross 1.75 

Joseph Olmstead 1.75 

Benj. Swan 1.90 

Jno. Smith 9.65 

Thomas Johnson 9.59 



enjoyed a large practice and was twice Speaker of the California 
House of Representatives. Another brother of Henry and William, 
Thomas, married a sister of Amos Tarleton and their daughter, 
Mrs. Jesse R. Squires, resides at the Tarleton homestead, Haverhill 
Corner. 

29 John Osgood, born in Andover, Mass., in 1770, came to Haver- 
hill about 1795 and established himself in the business of clock 
making. He did good work, some of his old high clocks are still 
running and keeping good time after the lapse of more than a 
hundred years. He was town treasurer and town clerk for several 
years, and his records are marvels of neatness and accuracy. 

30 Israel Swan, born 1768, was active in all town affairs. He mar- 
ried Abigail, daughter of Col. Charles Johnston. His children 
went to Ohio where their descendants have held honorable posi- 
tions. 



48 

The amount of tax assessed on the non-resident lands 
was $144.78. Among these non-resident lands was the 
Fisher farm of 2,500 acres, belonging to Joseph Pierce, 
Esq. This tract was valued at $6000 and the tax was 

130.00. 

31 Geu. Moses Dow was born in Atkinson, graduated at Harvard 
in 1769, was admitted to the bar, came to Haverhill about 1773 and 
divided honors with Col. Charles Johnston as first citizen, not only 
of Haverhill, but of the North Country. He refused an election to 
Congress in 1784, on the ground that he did not feel himself quali- 
fied for the duties of the high position. Just funny I He was the 
owner of the "Dow farm," now owned and occupied by Hon. Henry 
W. Keyes, another son of Harvard. He died in 1811. 






•"! mi mi iijii 

° 0^3 996 992 



3 ♦ 



